A friend wants to convert some rare LPs to his computer for making WAV
files. He has a Creative Labs Audigy 2 Audio Card. His turntable is
connected to the phono-in jack of his receiver, via two RCA connectors. His
PC has Windows XP and CoolEdit Pro installed.

He has two output options on the receiver:

(1) HEADPHONE JACK - He could use this with an adapter to go into the 3.5"
mini connector on the Audigy 2 Sound Card's Line Input.

(2) TAPE OUTPUT - He could also use a Y splitter cable with stereo RCA jacks
that terminates into a 3.5" mini, and plug it into the Audigy 2.

__________________________________________________ _________

(a) Which one of the above two is preferred and are they both Line Level
Outputs?

(b) Does the HEADPHONE output represent a pure line out, or is it equalized
for a Headphone?

In article 4zUQc.456$AA1.355@trndny06, Pat wrote:

(a) Which one of the above two is preferred and are they both Line Level
Outputs?

TAPE out is preferred - it's normally a fixed-level (1- or 2-volt
peak-to-peak) line level signal.

The HEADPHONE output is typically taken from the power amplifier
output, via a series resistor which lowers its amplitude. It's
affected by the setting of the volume, balance, bass and treble
controls, and its level would have to be manually adjusted to
line-level standards via a voltmeter.


--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

"Pat" wrote in message
news:4zUQc.456$AA1.355@trndny06...
A friend wants to convert some rare LPs to his computer for making WAV
files. He has a Creative Labs Audigy 2 Audio Card. His turntable is
connected to the phono-in jack of his receiver, via two RCA connectors.
His
PC has Windows XP and CoolEdit Pro installed.

So far, so good.

He has two output options on the receiver:

(1) HEADPHONE JACK - He could use this with an adapter to go into the 3.5"
mini connector on the Audigy 2 Sound Card's Line Input.

Second choice. Reason: Level goes up/down with receiver volume
control, affected by tone/"loudness" controls. Quite likely more noisy
because it is attenuated output from the power amp.

(2) TAPE OUTPUT - He could also use a Y splitter cable with stereo RCA
jacks
that terminates into a 3.5" mini, and plug it into the Audigy 2.

Prefect choice (for this situation, at least.)

(a) Which one of the above two is preferred and are they both
Line Level Outputs?

"Tape Out" is preferred. Recording is obvously the intended
use of this output.


(b) Does the HEADPHONE output represent a pure line out,
or is it equalized for a Headphone?

It will do in a pinch, but certainly to be avoided if you have a
real "Tape Out" available. There is typically no difference
between the headphone output and the speaker output except
some attenuation on the headphone output (to keep you from
hearing how noisy the power amp really is.) Headphone output
*may* be the same as line-level depending on many variables
most significantly, the setting of the volume control.

Pooh Bear wrote:



Neither are classic 'line level' connections per se - but are likely to be
close(ish) in terms of signal voltage.
Huh? I thought everything, TAPE OUT, CD IN, TUNER, etc were all line
level signals except the phono input.

CD

Codifus wrote:

Pooh Bear wrote:


Neither are classic 'line level' connections per se - but are likely to be
close(ish) in terms of signal voltage.
Huh? I thought everything, TAPE OUT, CD IN, TUNER, etc were all line
level signals except the phono input.

They are similar to pro 'line level' but not actually quite the same.

Usually rather lower voltage.


Graham

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 22:16:40 -0400, Codifus
wrote:

Neither are classic 'line level' connections per se - but are likely to be
close(ish) in terms of signal voltage.
Huh? I thought everything, TAPE OUT, CD IN, TUNER, etc were all line
level signals except the phono input.

The pros sometimes run their Line Level is a bit hotter than the
domestic version :-)

This is probably sensible. Domestic equipment rarely comes equipped
with output and input trim controls. It's much safer to run outputs
a little low (and need to turn the power amp up a bit) than to run
them hot and risk overload.

For some reason, domestic CD players often have particularly hot Line
Outs. I wonder if the audiophile criticism of digital audio being
"harsh" is caused by a CD player overloading their "Line" input?

Pooh Bear wrote:
Neither are classic 'line level' connections per se - but are
likely to be close(ish) in terms of signal voltage.

"Codifus" wrote ...
Huh? I thought everything, TAPE OUT, CD IN, TUNER, etc
were all line level signals

Yes they are all nominally *CONSUMER* line-level (-10dBu).
With the possible exception of the TAPE OUT, but likely not
enough difference to be of concern in the Real World(TM).
Perhaps that was the unstated assumption by Mr. Bear.

except the phono input.

Which if a completely 'nuther subject. Not line-level (consumer
or pro), or mic-level (or EQ) either.

Richard Crowley wrote:

Pooh Bear wrote:
Neither are classic 'line level' connections per se - but are
likely to be close(ish) in terms of signal voltage.

"Codifus" wrote ...
Huh? I thought everything, TAPE OUT, CD IN, TUNER, etc
were all line level signals

Yes they are all nominally *CONSUMER* line-level (-10dBu).
With the possible exception of the TAPE OUT, but likely not
enough difference to be of concern in the Real World(TM).
Perhaps that was the unstated assumption by Mr. Bear.

Indeed.

Trying to adapt pro standards to consumer gear is fraught with
difficulty.

As you are aware - consumer line level is indeed lower voltage than pro
but certainly within the range of compatability for practical purposes.

Much pro gear has -10dBV 'compatabilty' as a switched option or a gain
setting, although consumer line outs seem to vary hugely in reality,
especially now with low voltage operation of some portable devices. You
can always fix it with a gain trim anyway.


Graham

In article ,
Laurence Payne wrote:

This is probably sensible. Domestic equipment rarely comes equipped
with output and input trim controls. It's much safer to run outputs
a little low (and need to turn the power amp up a bit) than to run
them hot and risk overload.

For some reason, domestic CD players often have particularly hot Line
Outs. I wonder if the audiophile criticism of digital audio being
"harsh" is caused by a CD player overloading their "Line" input?

That was certainly the case in the early days of CD. Pre-CD, the
commonly accepted "line level" standard was 1 volt peak-to-peak. When
CDs came into use, CD player designs settled on a 2 volt peak-to-peak
full-scale standard.

There were some older pre-CD preamps and receivers which overloaded
and clopped pretty badly when fed a 2-volt signal, and some rather
nasty sound was the result.

This _should_ be a thing of the past, with modern designs... but it's
certainly possible that some newer designs are still overloading at
the higher CD voltages.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!